Well guys, I'm still fine tuning the radiator. Last night I thought I would have to start over cause it wouldn't fit next to the engine. Every way I tried it the engine would be cocked. I don't know how the kit one was supposed to squeeze in there because mine is even smaller than that. With a little grinding, and chopping, and re-gluing, I got it to fit pretty good. I did get a cool back-lit picture of it with the fan showing through, but didn't have time to do all the photo transferring yet. If I get some progress on it tonight maybe I can get a couple more pictures on here.
Once again thanks for the comments, and by all means let the inspiration drive you. The more people building this way (not just the PE) the more inspiration we can share! Heck any building is good building, I dig this site!

I hope to see this one at Nationals in Orlando.

I, know, I've already told you...that's a really outstanding job. Your method to make the radiator is simply amazing

I've been learning a lots following this build log. I hope i'll be able to adopt some of this metods on my next build. altough I know it won't be easy at all

Thanks a million for sharing

What an afternoon, but I'll get to that story soon enough. For right now though here is the picture that I was talking about earlier.

And a couple more of the test fit...


One final back lit shot...

Well that is all of the photos that I have for now.

The main reason for that is my CO2 regulator finally died just when I was going to shoot the radiator. So I jumped in the car and 40 miles later and I'm shooting paint again. I suppose it was time that regulator has been limping along for quite a while now. Thank goodness for Harbor Freight.

Sorry Matt, but for now the only plans I have are for the April AMPS show in Auburn Indiana. Who knows though, I do like Florida!

Mauro, I'm glad your going to try some of this stuff, if you need more info or have improvements of your own let me know!

Maybe tomorrow will be a littl less eventfull and a little more productive!

Hi Jonathan,

Once again, fantastic skill and build! Impressive!

Gary

Top notch work so far Jon. I wish I had the skill to pull off some those techniques. Thanks to you I am inspired to try. Thanks for sharing. Cant wait to the finished piece.

Loving it Jonathan! Keep it up.
Have someone else noticed that this particular emoticon looks like he is shooting himself in the brains? It is a salute right?
haha weird

Phil

amazing work! Love the detail..Once again another modeler that makes me want go back to my builds and detail more and more. keep up the great builds! Thank you for the motivation to do more at the work bench

Can't wait to see how you paint and weather the engine. I'm always looking for new techniques on interiors.
I shot myself in the brain. Wasn't pretty. And, yes it does look more like that than a salute. Maybe it's for the more frustrated builders.

I've got a little bit of an update for this weekend. I've done a little more painting. A dark oil wash over the whole thing.

Then some dry brushing in the engine compartment.

The engine itself got a dark wash, a coat of satin with a touch of blue gray, and some dry brushing.

I don't know if the tint is coming through on the photo, but it does look good on the bench.

Just enought color to set it apart from the rest of the truck. I need to do some pastel on the exhaust manifold to give it the rust coat.
Thanks again for all the positive vibes!

Great and impressive work! A precise assembly with no mess and no smearing.
You really have any "golden hands".
You gave me some ideas that I will use for the realization of the engine of my Leopard.
Many Thanks.
Gianfranco

I'm consistently blown away by this, you set the bar higher and higher with each update.

-Conor

Bottom line: IT ROCKS!!!
Phil.

Engine is immaculate. Well, if a block of iron can be considered "immaculate".

Pshew the pressure is on now!
I hope I still work well under pressure!

I did get away this weekend to go to the Roscoe Turner Show in Indianapolis. That was cool and I picked up some goooood stuff too! The other production stoppers were the pioneer tools. I couldn't find a decent pick axe, so I made one.

That took an afternoon of head scratching and work.

Then after looking over the pictures some more... the vehicle that I'm modeling doesn't have one but it does have the wire cutters mounted on the door... uhhh I didn't do that. I spent a couple of days trying to build one. That project is on the back burner for now though. The biggest hold up is constantly trying to organize the build with the painting in the proper order.
I'll get there...
I hope!

I have a spare set of wire cutters, if you want me to send you a pair.

Thanks Matt, I should be getting a set this weekend at our club meeting, but if it doesn't pan out I may just take you up on that. It's pretty sad that my junk box doesn't have a decent set of pioneer tools.

The weather is sabotaging my build!
It took some doing but here is a little bit of an update.
I got some more paint on the seats.

Then back to the engine, I got the exhaust manifold rusted up.

I put a couple of placards in the engine compartment.

Then the big step... I glued the engine in!

I'm not sure how well they show up, but I added the accelerator arm and choke cables.


Well that's about all for now...

The great weather continues here in Michigan, so the progress suffers!

I did get some small jobs going though.
I got some more cans together and painted, including the white cross on the water cans for the fender.

These have been sprayed with various shades of gray, dry brushed, and chipped.

I pulled some boxes out of the pile of odds and ends and got them going too.

The little dabs of paint make quite a difference on these.

I still want to get some stenciling on them, but after the oils have time to dry.
All of these will be filling in the area under the gun deck behind the seats.

Oh yeah, the seats are mounted in place too, there was a bit of a problem with the paint pulling up in a couple of spots, but not too bad.
Finally progress on the dash

It is almost ready to mount, just a little more paint.

I'll keep trying to ignor the 70 some degrees and sunny so the progress keeps moving along!

Weather is the same in Massachusetts, it feels like a crime being inside at all. My panzer will have to wait for a rainy day...

Well we had a bit of rain today and that means building time! (it also helps having a day off!)

I finished up the stowage and got that put in.

And here is a cameo by part of the long lost flak gun

I add some timbers to the gun deck for blocking and bracing.

I did get the radiator glued in place I just need to hook up the hoses on that. I guess it doesn't seem like much, but that's all I got... for now...

I actually picked up that very same Tamiya set Sunday afternoon at an AFV show nearby. Won't come out quite as good as yours, but I'll do my best

Conor, don't hold back man, make it yours! You saw that first one I built, right out of the box. The thing is I liked it enough to hang on to it all of these years. It is a fun little kit, a bit of fancy painting and it's dang nice. You have to get a picture up when it's all said and done. Have fun with it!

I was going to start some of the weathering on the under carriage, but then decided that I should really have the limber ready for weathering at the same time. It was off to work on the limber.

The next stage for this will be lots of folding brass!
I went ahead and did some detail painting on the gun deck. I painted up the blocking and bracing as well as adding some wear to the outer planks where the heavy traffic will be.

And finally back up to the engine. I have the hoses installed on the radiator, the first one here, just below the radiator cap has been base coated.

And the long one on this side still need a coat of paint.

From what I can make out in the pictures there is another field mod here, it looks like a scavanged transmission cooler of some sort just stuck up in front of the engine. I'm still working up a plan for that one.

Wow! I was doing an after the post sanity check and took a close look at that exhaust manifold, I think the rust was still growing! I went ahead and buffed that down some. I used a rust kit from one of the Hobby Loby type stores, the kit uses iron filings in suspension, so it basically makes real rust. I'm thiking I didn't get enough sealant on there to stop the oxidation proces.